The Sun. — London, England, 1864-03-25 00:00:00

ROYAL GENERAL THEATRICAL FUND. - The nineteenth anniversary of this institution Ina celebrated last evening at the Freemasons' Hain, and was attended by 150 of its friends and patrons, amongst whom we noticed Mr. Robert Bell, Mr. nlark Lemon, Mr. Flower, the Mayor of Stratford, Mr. Buckstone, Mr. Webster, Mr. German Reed, Mr. Chippendale, Mr. Sothern , Mr. Creswick, Mr. Lorraine, Mr. Jerwood, Mr. Swanborough, Mr. Waller, Mr. Frampton, Mr. Seale, Mr. F. Ledger, Mr. R. Wood, &no &c. Shirley Brooks, Rica, presided on the omission in a manner that gave greatsatisfaction to the company. The festival was graced by the presence of a large number of ladies, who occupied raised seats in the immediate vicinity of the cross table, and were thus enabled to agreeably enjoy the general proceedings of the evening. The cloth having been drawn, The CHAIRMAN rose and said—Ladies and Gen. tlemere:—A most gracious message from the most illustrieus personage in the realm claims precedence of all things. I have the honour of announcing to yon that her Majesty has been pleased to signify a renewal of her annual gift of £lOO to the Royal General Theatrical Fund. Even the Queen of Eng land cannot do impossibilities, and no generous action on her part can deepen our affectionate regard for our beloved Sovereign ; but the fund receives her gift with gratitude, and we have heard of it with gratification. I wish you to dedicate our first glass to the first lady of the world, not only in right of the flag on which the sun never sets, but in right of personal goodness, which will be dear to British subjects while that glorious flag is the symbol of British empire. He then gave "The Health of the Queen." The toast was received with loud cheers. The National Anthem was sung by the vocalists. The CHAIRMAN said—The next toast, again to quote " Hamlet," "importeth Denmark's health, and England's too." Last year, in proposing a health, to whichl venture to make a small addition, your Pre sident spolee felicitously of a marriage procession, in which all England seemed to have taken its place, and to have escorted a gallant bridegroom and a gracious bride in triumph to the altar. Fortune has thrown fresh perfume on the orange flowers, and an international baby has arrived to make the happy happier. He gave " The Prince and Princess of Wales, the Prince Christian—his Danish name — and the rest of the Royal Family." (Cheers.) The CHAIRMAN, in proposing „ The Army, Navy, and Volunteers," said—l have sat at good men's feasts, and I hope to sit—not stand—at many more. I have always observed that in the acknowledg ment of the toast I am about to propose, its subjects have displayed a manly reticence and modesty which would have inspired me, for one, if I had had the good fortune to be under such leaders, with the most intense confidence in my commanding officers. I have always heard of duty, never of glory. But it the noble services to which we owe so much choose to forget it, we choose to remember that " the path of duty is the way to glory," and our army and navy need no hand-posts on that road. A third service, which I am also to have the honour of naming, is " Oar Household Guard." The energy and patience which our volunteers have displayed in attaining to their present magnificent state of discipline, have been extraordinary. The labour we delight in physics pain, especially when it makes us certain of physicing any other enemy who may be so ill advised as to come to England for medi cine. (Cheers.) The CHAIRMAN, in proposing the toast of the evening, said—l: is on record that in:a certain trial at law, the plaintiff, or shall we say the plaintive, having heard the speech of his eloquent ad vocate—l know not whether he is here — rushed from his place, and with tears streaming from his eyes, exclaimed, " Bless you, sir—bless you ; I never knew how ill-treated I had been until your speech explained it to me." (Cheers.) This year, I, ladies and gentlemen, unworthily occupy the chair which was last year filial by the best chair man in England. Be kind enough to make a note of the anecdote, as you will discover, by my speech, how comparatively un'ortunate you are upon this occasion. But I will say, with Denis Duval, I pay you with my best, and what creature can do more. (Hear.) I received my brief for to-night from your eccentric solicitor—(l don't mean my old friend Mr. J.ls.rwood, who is not eccentric at all)—a gentleman who practises under various aliases, and notably under the name of Buckstone—but I think he will never be struck off the rolls of fame—and I had pleasure in accepting it, because it was enough for me that your directors could think that I might be useful to a valuable institution. (Cheers.) Some time afterwards, the same highly-respectable pro fessional gentleman in the most regular manner gave me—my legal friends know what I mean—a refresher. It was given at a club of which we are both members, and with his usual foresight, Mr. So icitor Buckstone administered it in the form of certain fish, fowl, and champagne. I mention this to increase, if possible, your admiration for him, for he knew that I should be able to eat no dinner to day, as he politely said, for studying my im promptus. (Hear.) But, ladies and gentlemen, in accepting that brief, I claimed the right to take my own line of argument, I feel very strongly, and have always felt very strongly, that the claims of the drama and of its professors to the support and sympathy of the nation ought never to be based upon any plea which in the slightest degree partakes of the character of apology, and which does not take the very highest ground. (Cheers.) My own con victions, not merely of the exceeding great value, bat of the absolute necessity of the drama, are based upon a rock, and they remain unshaken by acci dents of fashion or folly, and above all unmoved by the storms of either honest or dishonest bigotry. (Cheers.) Regarding the Drama as an institution which has gradually wed happily arisen out of the best instincts of our nature, as a form of art in which the strongest and the subtlest faculties may be developed, in which the triple charms of three glorious arts—poetry, painting, and sculpture— must unite in alliance, and must then ask the aid of " God's best gift of speech," to bring out all the marvellous magic of the stage—l claim for " the mighty actor's art," as it has been nobly called by Thomas Campbell, a place and a recognition which hall give it rank with the proudest. (Hear, and cheers.) I have said that such convictions remain unshaken by accidents of fashion or folly. Not the most devoted admirer of the drama—and few are more devoted than myself—bat is ready to admit that mistakes are sometimes made on the stage. It is doubly sad, ladies and gentlemen, because we all know that mistakes are never made in what is called real life. We know that no politician ever makes a clap-trap speech. (Laughter.) We know that no author ever writes an unworthy beok. We know that no clergyman ever preaches a non-orthodox sermon. Were it otherwise, of course, ladies and gentleme n , logic and duty would call upon us to abolish politics, books, and pulpits. (Laughter.) But in the midst of this world of perfection in which we is world of wisdom, and virtue, and honesty —w e (the theatrical profession) may be for given a few mistakes, if es, only because they serve as a foil to the unapproachable excellence of the rest of mankind. We are not the rose, but let us live near the ro6e. But ladie s and gentlemen, I am not going to make many admissions detrimental to the inte rest of my client. Having allowed that we are not ab selee perfection,' assert,witho u t hesitation, that our m i s takes are few, and our • merits tneny and great. (Heap) Shall I call wanesseao .) I see a shudder go round among my legal friends at the idea of anythiog so m onstrous as c a lli ng witnesses in the middle of a speech; but we will create precedents, and justify them a fterwards, Wh at has th e theatre done for mankind? I am not going t o ca ll t h e oldest inhabitant, olr friend FhesPi e — we have had his carte de visite often enoug h . I will not invoke the solemn and m jeafie images of the Greci an dramatists. I pass by the Romans, who stole pl ays as they stole everything else—and I don't care who hears me, it i s a very wrong thing to steal a plan or even a pin, unless you steal its point also. I will not, in the neighbourhood of the awful Hall of Mysteries, talk to you of the Mysteries and Mo ralitiLs of the middle :ages,—my old and middle a;.:ed friend, Mr. T, >m T aylor, will mix them up with the Olympic games. lam going to c e wit- ness whom our adversaries may cross-examine until the crack of doom, and every new question will bring them a more damaging answer than the last. I call William Shakspere, twice of Stratford-upon- Avon, some time of London, now of all time. (Loud and continued cheering.) I expected that. The other aide—we will not say the avvocato del l diavolo—throws up his brief. No wonder. But I claim to put in documents. I put in the 34 plays. That is what the theatre has given to mankind. For had there been no theatre, no Drama, no wondrous platform prepared through the ages until the greatest magician of all ages should come to fill it with his glorious creations, you would have had no Shakspere. (Hear, hear.) Ido not say what you might not have had, for that genius must have broken forth in some way. Admiral Shakspere might hat, e destroyed the Armada; Lord Chancel lor Shakspere might have written the " Novum Organon ;" Sir Walter Shakspere might have made Europe happy with tobacco, but you would not have had that volume that wonder of which no one could speak wor thily but himself—the volume which, humanly speaking, is our treasury of wisdom, of consolation, of art, of fumy, of poetry, which furnishes sarcasms for the senate, war-cries for the soldier, vows to the lover, themes for the moralist, inspirations for the poet, images for the painter, divinity for the priest, and songs for the child. (Loud cheers.) You owe Shakspere to the theatre ; and in this year 1864, the three hundredth from his birth, I scorn to call another witness to the character of the Drama. (Continued cheering.) But I have spoken of honest and dishonest bigotry. There are many who ad mire, or profess to admire the poet, but who will not go to the play. To advise them, let us quote the words of a clergyman of the Church of England, one of the wisest men whom she ever sent forth to teach common sense as well as common prayer. The words, and they are noble, should be your only answer when nonsense is talked, and when the ac cidents and errors of which I have spoken are re garded by bigots as necessaries to a system :—" The finest exhibition of talent, the most beautiful moral lessons interdicted, because given at a theatre! Why ? Where is every feeling more roused in favour of virtue than at a good play ? Where is goodness so feelingly, so enthusiastically learned? What so solemn as to see the excellent passions of the human heart called out by a great actor, ani mated by a great author ? To behold the child and its mother, the noble and the poor artisan, the monarch and the subjects, all ages and all ranks, convulsed with one common passion, or wrung with one common anguish, and doing involuntary homage to the God that made their hearts." (Cheers.) This is my case, my lord. I have given you, however inadequately, some idea of the character of the convictions in my mind in regard to the high claim of the theatre upon all our sympathies and respect. I will not do you the wrong to delay you from the musical and oratorical'plea sures that await you by any argument by way of supplying links between the Drama and the claims of those who live by it, and make our lives glad by their own. To do so would be almost to insult your understandings, which have long since caught up my foregone conclusion. I stand before you as the advocate of an institution for helping those per formers who can no longer follow their profession. (Hear, heir, and cheers.) This aid is not extended in any arbitrary or uncertain way ; it depends upon no influence or favouritism ; bat it has been honour ably earned by those who receive it, for they must have contributed to the fund. (Hear.) It is paid in the form of an annuity, end is carefully appor tioned according to certain fixed calculations. Age, sickness, or other infirmity is the actor's title to relief, and no distinction of rank or grade is made. Macbeth is as Fleance, Lord Ogleby as Brush, Juliet as her Nurse, in the presence of that which levels ail. And all theatres are alike to the fund, and it is not necessary to have taken a degree at Oxford Garden or Cambridge Lane. (Cheers.) Let me add that in the saddest hour of all, when the part in this world's play is played out, the fund extends its aid to the mourners. (Hear.) I have mentioned these details lest any of our friecdsshould be unacquainted with them; but I believe that most of you are aware how sound is the system of the fund, and how faith fully it is served by its admirable officers. (Cheers.) Now, I request any of my friends who belong to the theatrical profession to imitate " the deaf adder, which stoppeth her wire," but not to carry the imi tation to the point of hissing. That profession is well represented here. I want to say tomething in its praise, and it is not so well to praise people to their facts. We will consider that the actors are in visible. We have often been asked to do so to oblige them, when we could see them perfectly well, and how they must oblige us. Ladies and gentlemen, in the deafness of our professional friends, will you allow one who has had an intimate acquaintance, of many years, with members of every portion of the theatrical world, to say that liknow of no class in society who so well deserve that their brave efforts at self-help should be seconded by you. (Hear, hear, and cheers.) 1 speak of what is within my own knowledge when I say that the noble teaching of the Drama is not lost upon those who deliver it or aid in illustrating it. Those who are rich are generous and open-handed, and those who have yet to become rich (I wish they all could, and live in the Golden Home of One Thousand Diemonds for the rest of their lives) —those who have yet to become rich help one another with a frankness and a kindness which I have never seen equalled. (Loud cheers.) Then, let the book of this fund be an answer to the ignorance that retains the tradition of an actor's improvidence. That tra dition has lived among foolish people just as the Grub-street notion about authors is not quite gone out, though we go to church and pay our taxes with reasonable alacrity. A portion of the hard-earned salary goes to the fund, and it is most honourable to those who have so many calls on their purses that it is so. Therefore, though I once more disclaim any idea of a charity sermon—though I would proscribe the word patron and banish the word benefactor— I appeal to you to recognise the claims of a noble art by assisting those who pursue it so worthily. (Cheers.) Help the fund that helps the artist in the hoar of need. (Continued cheering.) A very reso lute gentleman—whose name is Cullenford—will presently attend upon yon for the purpose of tak ing from you both your money and your good names ; but you will not be made to feel poorer by the surrender of either. If you do, come here this day twelvemonth, and I hereby pledge my suc cessor to make you the most ample atonement. That is an appointment. Then, if my professional friends will once more permit me to resume the loan of their ears, I will speak about another length, and then deliver you all to Mr. Cullenford, who, hushed in grim repose, expects—that every man will do his duty. (Laughter and cheers.) My dear friends in the profession, I speak to you as an author, or rather as a journalist. Around me here are many, and there are others not here who are interested in our doings, to whom I should like to say a word. Among those to whom and of whom I speak are true and noble artists who adorn our own stage, and of whom the English stage might at any time have been proud. lam proud that I have been asked to plead to-night in behalf of a pro fession which does itself and the country so much honour. (Loud cheers.) The Chairman concluded by proposing "Prosperity to the Royal General Theatrical Fund," coupling with the toast the name of Mr. Buckstone, the treasurer of the fund. Mr. BUCKSTONE then rose, and was received with loud cheers. He said—Gentlemen, it is with great pleasure that in looking towards the chair this even ing I can see it filled by so popular and talented a gentleman as Mr. Shirley Brooks, because, while acknowledging his ability for the position, we must not forget his kindness in coming here on this occa sion, for you little know the difficulty of procuring newa chairman for each of these anniversary fes tivals ; indeed, this year we found ourselves much embarrassed, as we begun to discover that we had nearly " used up" all the remarkable men of the time, at least those whose natural kindness will not permit them to refuse the solicitation to do good. During the last eighteen annual dinners we have discussed here and elsewhere for the benefit of our fund, we have been honoured by the p re sidency of noblemen, statesmen, novelists, d r amatists, and actors ; you may, therefore, suppose it to be no easy mane* to pick out from lime to time, and from M r .nMilt the celebrities of the day. a chairman that can be acceptable to you and of service to us. (Cheers.) Many names were recently suggested, while to some I took the trouble to write the most charming and persuasive letters you can conceive ;' I but that surly monosyllable "No," was all the reply we could get. Easter was fast approaching; there was the chair, but where was the man to fill it ? In this extremity I applied to my friend Mr. Shirley Brooks, who, after expressing some proper and pretty doubts as to his capability for the office, con cluded his answer by saying, "If you can get no one better, I'm your man ; " so, taking the title of his own novel, he at once came to our aid, and cut " The Gordian Knot "—(a laugh)—and although the last of the long list of eminent men who have attended here on these occasions, he is most cer tainly far from the least, for not only is he an ad mired novelist, but a successful dramatist, a poli tician, and, to crown all, has he not been for many years one of the principals on the staff of what the newspapers call "our facetious contemporary Punch ?" And more than this, and which I know will give you great pleasure to hear, that in his novel of " The Silver Cord " he has sketched the character of a London manager, and has actually had the liberality to make him a good man—a com pliment that I feel acutely, although I am afraid for which act of audacity he privately hopes to be forgiven. (A laugh.) I forgive him with all my heart, and sincerely thank him for his great kind ness in coming to the rescue this evening. I have now, gentlemen, to tell you the state of our fund, the good we have done, and the good we have yet to do. During the past year we have paid to annuitants the sum of £9OO, in amounts varying from £3O to £9O per annum ; about £5O has been given or re turned to members claiming such repayments ; we have now 21 persons in receipt of annuities, 15 of whom are ladies; and as we have received notice of five more claimants during the coming year, we shall soon have 26 decayed and retired actors and actresses to provide for ; and though our invested capital, when this night is over, will amount to be tween £13,000 and £14,000, you will see that we shall have quite enough to do with our resources— that we shall require all the help you can give us, aided by the annual subscriptions of the members of our fund, and which subscriptions, you will be glad to know, have amounted during the past year to £722. It does not appear to me to be publicly known that theßoyal General Theatrical Fund is chartered, by which charter we are enabled to hold land and re ceive legacies, and although I have before referred to this fact, yet I wish again to do so, in the hope that one of these days it may attract the notice of some benevolent person who was once an old play-goer, and who, remembering the names of his favourite actors, and the many happy hours he has passed in the pit or boxes of his chosen theatre ; who, re membering the many pleasant gossips and suppers he has enjoyed after the play, and who is now rich, will think of the " harmless gaiety" of those times, and not forget the lighthearted-players, who, when in their yout'a or their prime, have administered to his amusement and instruction, and when he has made up his mind to make his will, will say to his lawyer—" Hang it all, Mr. Codicil, I must not for get the General Theatrical Fund; I must bequeath a hundred or two to that excellent institution." (A laugh.) We often read of large sums being left to many deserving charities, and I hope that my appeal this evening may induce some one now and then to think of us ; for they might do worse. We certainly do not profess to be Christian young men, though we perform many Christian actions; we support the aged and infirm, we help the sick, and we bury oar dead ; and surely those are acts of piety and charity, even though we do not con vene meetings for the purpose of sending out mis. sionaties to convert fhe poor gorilla; no, we rather adopt the more useful and practical purposes of charity by soothing the declining years of those around us, mad in making cheerful the hearts of those who have so often cheered you. I have again to announce the receipt of her Gracious Majesty's donation of £lOO--(sheers)—and to inform you that Mr. Cullenford has this evening received a note from Marlborough House, announcing that the Prince of Wales wil! hencefortn be the patron of this fund—(ehiers)—and in returning our thanks and in expressing our gratitude I know there is but one wish, one hops throughout the land, that the ime is not far distant when we shall see her Ma jesty again amongst us; and no class of her sub jects has a more fervent desire for this event than those of the dramatic profession, for the actors have always been a loyal body, from the days when Major Mohun, Hart, Robinson, and other players fought and bled for the Royal cause to the present period ; and in these volunteering times it may not be uninteresting to know that Dr. Doran, in his amusing book of "Their Majesties Servants" tells us that when the French Emperor, the First Napoleon, was collecting a host for the invasion of this country, the actors were among the first to enrol themselves as volun teers, and it was not an unusual thing to find the theatres closed on account of the unavoidable ab sence of the principal performers, summoned to drill or other military service, then rigidly enforced ; and I know that there are many actors and sons of actors now in the ranks of the volunteers ; and even I have the honour to belong to the St. George's Rifles as an honorary member. (Cheers and laughter.) But while I appeal to yon in behalf of our fund—while I draw the most persuasive pictures in my power to induce you to be generous on these occasions, I have one little remark to make which I hope will strike home to your sympathetic bosoms. I very well know when you come to these festivals it is not the dinner —the actual eating and drinking, that you care for; you come to hear what is said, what is sung, and to enjoy yourselves with the comfortable feeling that you are engaged in an act of charity ; but let me hope (hat in your zeal for the maintenance of the decayed and retired actor, you will not altogether forget the active and still-working one, and that you will often be seen patronising the performances at our present theatres, either in the stalls, the boxes, or pit—but .lot with orders; by doing this you may prevent many deserving actors of becoming recipients of our dramatic charities, for by lessening the number of claimants upon them you render their excellent ob. jects more solid and enduring. Therefore, think sometimes of those who are still nightly before you; think of the pleasant recollections you have often enjoyed after the theatre, and when at home; think now some of you have exclaimed, "I have been so amused !" " How capital Charles Mathews was !" " Was not Webster excellent ?" " Didn't Miss Bate. man make me cry ?" or, " Oh ! that Compton," or " that Paul Bedford and Toole ;" or " What an ori ginal Lord Dandreary is !" and " Wasn't Buckstone funny ?" (Loud laughter.) With these recollections I am sure you will think of what 1 have said, for I am certain none of you with any grateful feel ings in your hearts would see the exertion of such actors, or their successors,neglected by the pub lic, and acting to empty benches, or to what is tech nically termed " paper." Though I must acknow ledge that there is at present no cause for complaint for all our theatres have been wonderfully success ful this season ; while at the Christmas pieces and pantomimes, to see the crowds of beautiful young children crowing with delight is a healthy sign for the drama of the future; they are the recruits for our audiences yet to come, for they will always re member with pleasure, and without any alloy of regret, the happy day ma which they were first taken to the theatre, for it is a good thing to go to a good play. Even the great Reformer, Martin Luther, has said, when speaking of comedies, and describing their various purposes, that no Christian may be deterred from attending them. But as I have wandered a little from the main question of this evening, I therefore return to my supplication for yon to be very liberal on this occasion. I have explained all that we have done, and how much we have yet to do, and though I know you have all come here with the intention of giving something, and am afraid, however eloqueat I might try to be, I shall fail in persuading you to give more than you have made up your mind to give, yet a second thought will sometimes occur to every one. Let me then suggest a second thought to you. Let those amongst you who have come with the determination to give five guineas make them eight or ten. Double you can, or at le st turn the tails of your your fig six u e r s e ( s if iow nwards and make nines of them ; for your generosity to-night will greatly help to secure to the actor in decilnc of life his indisputable right TIM SUN', LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 25, 1864. as a subscriber to this find to be placed in a position of comfort and content, and to enjoy that moderate degree of happiness described by the poet in speak ing of one so situated,— A wise content his even soul secured, By want not shaken, nor by wealth allured." (Lend cheers.) The CHAIRMAN then proposed the toast of " The Drama," which was effectively responded to by Mr. MARK LEMON. Mr. ROBERT BELL, in proposing the toast of " Mr. Flower, the Mayor of Stratford, and the Shakspereian Committee" of that town, compli mented that gentleman in graceful terms upon the zeal and ability which he displayed in connection with the festival to the memory of Shakspere which was about to take place at Stratford. He expressed his conviction that if a letter were now addressed to " Mr. Flower, England," it would not be delivered at Thurloe-square, but at the Town Hall, Stratford on-Avon. (Cheers and laughter.) Mr. FLOWER having expressed his acknowledg ments, several other appropriate toasts were given, after which the secretary announced that the sub scriptions amounted to upwards of £350. The musical arrangements were of a superior character. They were placed under the direction of Mr. Charles Coote, the vocalists being Miss Poole, Miss Ellen Lyon, and Mrs. Howard Paul; Mr. G. Tedder, Mr. W. Fielding, Mr. W. Coward, Mr. Donald King, Mr. Theodore Distin, Mr. R. Barnby, Mr. T. Walworth, Mr. J. Coward, Mr. F. Walker, and Mr. T. Lawler ; and the instrumentalists were Mr. Carodus, violin, and Mr. F. Chatterton, harp. The dinner was in perfect keeping with the well known capabilities of the celebrated establishment , and the manner in which it was served up reflected the greatest credit on Messrs. Eikington and Co. The Catastrophe at Sheffield, The inquest was resumed at the Town-hall yesterday be fore Mr. J. Webster, coroner. Matthew B. Jackson, of Sheffield, civil and mechanical engineer, said—l have been engaged in the construction o reservoirs in Australia, I was chief engineer of the Mel bourne Waterworks, consulting engineer of the City o Adelaide Works, Ballarat Corporation Wat erworks, and first engineer for the Bendego Waterworks. I was on the embankment at Bradfield a few hours after the accident, and three times since I have examined it, in special reference to this inquiry. I am of opinion there is no fault to be found with the quantity of material on the slopes. The material was ample and the slope sufficient. Perhaps in my own practice I should have preferred a slope of 3to 1 inside. The puddle was good and sufficient. I have put in a greater pro portion of puddle, and I do not think at all that any acci dent would have arisen from that. I have no fault to find with the by-wash. I have examined the embankment. I should not have formed an embankment in the same way. I should distinctly prohibit the use of railway waggons on a bank, more especially on the inside slope, because, in the first place, I should make the bank in layers of not more than two feet thick. Railway waggons always travel in the same line and tend t 3 consolidate the embankment un equally. Dobbins and carts, on the other hand, travel in different parts, and tend to consolidate the embankment equally. On the inside slope I should have insisted that layers, not exceeding two feet each, should have been carried over and through, each being perfectly finished before another was commenced, On the outside slope I would not object to a tip of three feet, because it is not so necessary to have tho outer posts so impervious to water. It is better open, to let water have free exit. I mean by open, that it should be composed of more porous material. The embankment had not been erected in that manner. There are railway waggons on it now, showing that they have been used, and it is obvious the layers have been put on of a greater thickness than two feet. At the embank ment at Agden the layers are not being put down and completed consecutively; and if the one at Bradfield was constructed in the same way, I should apprehend th , t there would be an unequal settlement, I did not measure the tips at Agden , I saw they very much exceeded the measurement I have given. Unequal settlement is dangerous, because it may cause a slip. It is peculiarly dangerous if there are pipes passing under the bank in trenches. It might be possible to pass them safely through in a culvert. The danger is that the unequal settlement may break the pipes or spring the joints, so as to produce leakage. The depth of the tips I have mentioned is rather an extreme one. In constructing another bank I should take the specifications of Mr. Leslie, of Edinburgh, which are the best I ever read. lie restricts the tips to G inches, one layer to be finished be.• fore another is begun, and waggons to be prohibited. They are safer than mine, but more expensive. I approve Mr. Leslie's stipulation that the puddle wall should be brought up to and kept on a level of Gin, above the adjoining portion of the embankment. At my works at Melbourne I had two fractured pipes. They were under the embankment in the solid ground. They were laid on flags to the edge of the puddle trench, and in passing through the puddle each pipe of each main, which was only 6ft. Gin, in length, was sup ported on an ashlar pillar. The pipes were pwidled all round. The fracture in that caso I have no doubt arose from an unequal settlement of the embankment, though made with the limited tips I have mentioned. An embankment settles more in the centre from its length than at the sides, and, consequently, if the pipes were laid straight through the embankment, they would bend and break by the unequal settling, My plan of putting in the pipes at Melbourne was a bad one, but not so bad as the plan at Bradfield. There was no puddle between the flags and pipes at Mel bourne ; it would not have made any difference if there had been. I have not the least doubt that the structure of the Bradfield dam caused an unequal pressure, frac tured the pipes, and so produced a leakage. There is this difference. The way my pipesawere laid at Melbourne was more liable to cause fracture of the pipes. Mr. Gunson's plan was more likely to cause a drawn joint. I heard the mode described yesterday of keeping down the water in the puddle trench. The evidence of Mr. Gunson to a great ex tent dispelled a doubt I previously entertained. The doubt was as to whether the water had got under the puddle trench and risen immediately under the outside slope, in ducing a settlement and slip immediately before the burst. I am inclined to think that such was not the case, and that the puddle trench was a good job, though I scarcely think the evidence of Mr. Leather and Mr. Gunson showed that inclined to think that, on the reservoir being filled, th e unequal settlement of the embankment occasioned a springing, or starting, o r drawing of the pipe joints. If a joint were once sprung, th e internal pressure of the water itself would be sufficient to bow the lead out. Having the pipes cast narrower at the entrance to the socket is a good precau tion. It is moreover possible for the pressure of the water on the valve which was outside the reservoir to have started a joint between the valves and the puddle wall. Tbo opening or closing of the valves would increase the probability of this. hav i ng expressed a wish to there l l ,l r. sir. w L Ga e sa a na t hsnoey: such waswasappealed dl it,toy, an d he said he did nut think . make some explanation. He was beginning to say that he had been misunderstood on the previous day in reference to the water seen behind the embankment. He did not think it had come from the reservoir. The Coroner stated that he was quite satisfied with the note which he had taken on that point. Mr. Gunson was then examined as to the variance which had taken place in the actual work from the specifications. These, it appeared, had been considerable. A specification, he said, was simply a guide; and when the specifications of the Bradfield Reservoir were drawn up, Mr. Leather was not aware of the material& to be got in the excavation of the re- servoir. By a Juryman—Mr. Leather was more than twice—per haps six times at Bradfield —during the construction of the work. I used to go over and see him. He had to come once a year at least to report. The Coroner—He is a " consulting engineer," an orna mental officer. He is expected to do nothing but simply present a report. Examination continued —We are not, as provided by the specifications, carrying up the puddle wall at Agden simul taneously with the embankment, because that was impos sible. Stones may fall among the puddle if the embank ment be carried up before the puddle wall, but I have taken every means to prevent it. A s p e cification, he said, they would fro T m h t e h C e osrpoenceifircastrongly denounced the departure made understand in future, was not a guide, but a farce and a deception. Here was one made for the purpose of not being carried out. He was out of all patience. If the reservoir at Bradfield had been constructed in the same way as this one was being made at Agden, he was not surprised at what had occurred. It would not be so bad if the water com pany would admit they had made a single mistake. They assumed that everything had been perfect. The examination continued —Mr Gunson said Mr. Leather came over, and saw some of that work in progress where the specifications were departed from. The Coroner—Then he ought to be ashamed of himself. A Juryman— Mr. Coroner, take it more deliberately. The Coroner—lt is difficult to do so when there is the broad fact diet the work has destroyed nearly 300 of our fellow citizens. (Tc Mr. Smith) —Have you any witnesses. Mr. Smith—l wili say, if the jury are not satisfied, the company will be at the expense of calling the most eminent engineers in the world. The company court inquiry into the disaster. As to the evidence of Mr. Jackson, he had shown that the points questioned in the construction of the work were matters of doubt. The Coroner—lf you cannot pint out a reason for the embankment breaking, we have a right to assume that it has failed from bad management. Mr. Smith—l don't think that. One conjecture was that it arose from a natural failure of the ground. The Foreman, addressing the coroner, said he had made a statement that morning which must have relieved Mr. Leather's mind, which was that the jury believed he had not been guilty of criminal neglect, Perhaps he would now ask Mr. Leather if he had formed any additional conjecture the destruction of the bank—one of them, or more of them as to the cause of the disaster ? combined, may have done it. My opinion is that it was the Mr. Leather—l have heard the evidence this morning most fatal mistake to lay the pipes in the centre of the em as to those pipes, and I think it possible such a thing may bankment upon an artificially formed compressible material. have happened at the drawing of the joints, At the same I think also that 3-ft. layers are much too thick, and that time, I think if such a thing took place the result must have 6-in, layers, as suggested by Mr. Leslie, are the only safe shown itself long before, at the foot of the bank or in the way of making the embankment. value-house. The theory seems very doubtful, but the By Mr; Smith—There are many instances, especially of gentleman spoke so confidently that it may be entitled to late, in which pipes are not made through the embankment. some credit. I still think that the accident has been At Dublin the culvert plan round the embankment is being caused by a slip of land outside the bank. It may have made; I think also at the Rivington reservoirs. taken place and been covered with the ruins of the em- Nathaniel Beardmore, civil engineer, London—l was bankment, requested by Sir George Grey to come down and assist Mr. Mr. B. Smith said the original contract was £27,469, Rawlinson in examining the reservoir, with the object of About £l,OOO was added on the change of situation of the making a report. I have examined both the Bradfield and embankment. The extras are upwards of £6,000, and they Agden reservoirs. I have heard the evidence of Mr. Raw are going on still. Mr. Leather certifies for the extras on Mason, Mr. Jackson, Mr. Leather, and Mr. Gunson. I the reports of Mr. Gunson, occasionally coming over to look agree substantially with the evidence of Mr. Rawlinson. I at the work himself. do not think the Agden embankment is being made in the Mr R. Rawlinaon, Government engineer, was sworn and secure manner necessary for such a work. In dealing with said—l have had experience in the construction of water- water security should be taken against the remotest con works. I have executed waterworks at Wigan, Berwick-on- tingency of accidents, It would be very difficult to get Tweed, Swansea, and other places. As inspector, I have everybody to agree as to the immediate cause of the burst made myself acquainted with the great works erected during of the reservoir. The disruption being so great, it ing the last 20 years, and have personally inspected many will be difficult to discover the difference between causes of them, including those at Liverpool, designed and exe- and effects. My impression is that the puddle is a most ex cuted by Mr. Hawksley, and those at Manchester, designed cellent work, I think that the immense depth excavated and executed by Mr. Bateman. I have inspected carefully must have removed danger from the springs, and the probe. the Bradfield reservoir, which has failed, and other reser- bilities must point to the pipes being the source, if not the voirs of the company, and the reservoir at Agden now being cause, of the accident. The description itself implies an constructed. I have also carefully looked over the specifie immediate volume of water blowing up the material of the cations. As a practical engineer, I think no waterworks embankment. To my mind, the most material conclusion embankment ought to have pipes laid through it so as to is that the pipe leads the water to do that mischief. Tel prevent repair or renewal when necessary. The engineer fourd, the great engineer, never, I believe, put pipes should be master of his work, not let it be master of him. through the embankment of a dam. I agree generally with I know of many instances of failure where pipes and cul- Mr. Rawlinson and Mr. Jackson as to the dangers arising verts have been laid through the main embankment. Cast- from putting pipes under embankments. iron pipes having plain socket joints. although previously After retiring 20 minutes the jury returned into court, tested to four times the head of water they may have to and carry, are occasionally found fractured and defective when The Coroner said they had made up their minds. He the water is turned on, although in the street trenches in was glad he had no occasion to sum up, because he should which they are laid they have only 4ft of earth to bear. have spoken in a manner that would perhaps have been die- With the most careful jointing, the joints are sometimes agreeable to some persons. found to be blown or defective Pipes laid in the streets The verdict was as follows :—" We find that Thomas can be repaired without much damage. A defective pipe Ellstone came to his death by drowning in the inundation in this embankment may have worked the destruction we caused by the bursting of the Bradfield reservoir on the have witnessed, and no human ingenuity could prevent it 12th inst. ; that in our opinion there had not been that en under the circumstances in which those pipes exist. I did gineering skill and that attention to the construction of the not say that it did so, I wish that to be clearly understood. works which their magnitude and importance demanded ; That, therefore, is not a legitimate way in which to lay that in our opinion the Legislature ought to take such pipes for the making of a reservoir. In my own practice, action as will result in a Governmental inspection of all I have formed a tunnel or culvert through the solid stra- works of this character, and that such inspection ought to tification on one side of the valley and perfectly free be frequent, regular, and sufficient ; and that we cannot from the loose earth of the embankment. That culvert separate without expressing our deep regret at the fearful is executed in the very best possible manner with hydraulic loss of life which has occurred from the disruption of the lime, and puddled to make it perfectly watertight over Bradfield reservoir." the top. Within that culvert or tunnel the outlet pipes are ultimately laid. Provision is made for closing the pipes inside the reservoir. The centre portion of the tunnel—viz,, that under the heaviest portion of the embankment—is close Iby brickwork set in cement, so as to make a perfectly watertight plug at that point. Valves are placed at the outer end of the pipes in the usual way, to work the pipes. On the inner shaft arrangements are made to draw the water at various heights is the reservoir, or to exclude it from the shaft, so as to enable the pipes to be examined. Such an arrangement renders any accident to the pipe for mischief absolutely impossible. Where I have laid cast iron pipes through puddle under small heads of water, as pipes leading to a valley syphon, I have found it necessary, in order to prevent the water creeping along the outer surface of the pipe, I put on collar shields, as described by Mr Jackson. I have done this because I found I could not make puddle, adhere to the cast iron pipe so as to be watertight, even under only five feet of pressure. Unless those precautions are taken the water does creep along the surface of the pipe. In laud draining, where ordinary drain pipes are laid in a clay subsoil, the best drainers make no provision for an open substratum. They know that water will find its way to the pipes, and I believe the pipes drain as much by their outer subsoi. as by the inner capacity. I believe there is an outer creep along every pipe, The result of that experiences teaches us that a smooth line of cast iron pipes, with joints such as are described by Mr Gunson, are not to be trusted as certain to be watertight in such an em bankment, although lined the whole length with puddle. I heard Mr Gunson's evidence as to the mode in which he had laid pipes through the embankment. I expected to learn that the crossing of the puddle trenchhad been provided for, so as to give a bearing to the pipes uniform with that a the solid ground on either side. I was surprised to learn that in place of this an artificial trench had been excavated, at a fiat slope from the bottom of the puddle trench, until at the sur face line it exceeded 200 ft in length; that this had been filled with puddle to the depth of 20ft in the puddle trench, thinning itself to 18 inches of puddle on the solid at either end, leaving upwards of 200 ft of pipes, in 9ft lengths, with no bottom support other than the puddle beneath them. This would be in that portion of the embankment where there would be the greatest possible weight—namely, under the apex. I have had considerable experience on railway work. 1 have seen 60ft. embankments—and this was 90ft. —carried apparently over solid ground ; I have executed bridges and culverts on such ground beneath those em bankments. Serious fractures always, total destruction occasionally, resulted. I have known it settle so much as to move grass surface 300 feet away on either side. That occurring in a naturally compressible stratum, I should dread placing jointed pipes in an artificially formed com pressible substratum. If that line of pipes has been depressed into the puddle, in all human probability it has not gone down equally in the puddle trench and under the loose em bankment. But if it can be proved it has gone down equally as a bow would bend, and not drawn a joint, in my opinion it has lett a cavity in the puddle trench above it, because the puddle is an artificially and carefully formed material, made so solid that if the puddle is as perfect as I believe, it could not follow the compression of the pipe equally on either side of the puddle wall. We have been told that the bank was formed on the same plan as the Agden reservoir in course of construction; the material not being watertight on each side. The inference is, that the water as it rose would penetrate the bank, and search out its weakest point. The reason the embankment did not show signs of failure on the first admission of the first 40ft. of water would arise from the fact that the lower half, being upwards of 200 ft. wide, may have been sufficiently tight to prevent any access of water to the puddle wall. As the water rose foot by foot in the reser voir it narrowed the intervening space between the water and the puddle wall 2flt. ; and from my inspection of that hank, and from its state as it exists now, to be seen by anyone, it is obvious that the upper half of the bank is not made of water tight material, but contains a very large proportion of rubble stone. I measured some not on the surface more than 4ft,long, 2ft. wide, and 9 inch a thick, The water would thus pene trate to the puddle wall, gradually creep vertically down the face of the puddle wall, and inevitably find out the weakest point, On the opposite side of the puddle wall there is the same detective arrangement of rubble stone, dangerously close to the puddle wall. That this was so through the deepest part of the bank is evidenced by the description of the ultimate breaking down of the top of the bank. The first top water has been described as coming over in sheets and waves et foam. That water did not flow down the slope of the embankment, but was absorbed ver tically into it. We have been told this reservoir embank ment was made exactly as the Agden embankment. The mode of tipping the waggons and the material tipped I have no hesitation in coming to the conclusion that the substance of that bank is as porous as a sieve. The specification limits the tips to three feet each in thickness ; the tips at present in work are at least double that height. This method of working rolls the largest stones continually to the foot of the tips, and makes, in fact, a rubble embank ment open and porous in layers, With regard to the mode of obtaining material to make the embankment, I hold it is most objectionable to take the material for making your em bankment from within the reservoir and below the water mark, excepting a trial shaft has shown that that material is in its whole substance water-tight. In the Bradfield re servoir several acres of surface have been bared by excava tion. Many square yards of fissured rock have been bared. Into that rock I found by examination that surface water readily flows without pressure. With pressure the flow of water into them would be greater. No engineer can tell what is to become of that water. It may waste itself harm lessly below, but there is a possibility of its communicating with fissures beneath the external slope of the embankment. In such a case the engineer has no right to run the risk of letting water into the substrata, because the water will be beyond his control, and it will be impossible for him to tell what will become of it, except by experience. I do not un dertake to say that water has done any injury. I have no evidence, neither can anybody say it has not done injury. I have examined the by-water, and do not think it adequate to convey away the flood-water. I would have made a very much larger by-wash. In this case the by-wash has not been the cause of any injury, as the water never rose to it. I do not approve of a sloping by •wash such as the whole of the Sheffield Waterworks possess. I think it is always better to break your by-wash channel by a series of steps. I think for such a capacity of water and such a drainage area the two 18-inch pipes totally inadequate to give safety to the bank in the case of anticipated danger. To take away the incoming water of a flood from the reservoir the by wash and pipes ought always to be equal to safely removing the greatest possible flood on a full reservoir. I have no wish to make statements away from this special question, but shall be glad to answer questions. By the Jury—l would not have put pipes in the embank ment. Wherever put the pipes should have been longer. It is a fatal objection to the scheme that there have not been valves to shut the water off from the pipes. The pipes and by-wash would not carry away a flood coming when the reservoir was full. There ought to be a golt to carry away the flood-water when the dam was full. I am surprised that the engineers destroyed the one they used while the em bankment was being made. By the Coroner—Several causes may have led to the catastrophe—a fractured pipe, a blown or drawn joint, a creep along the pipes, a pressing down of the pipes in the puddle trench by the heavy material on both sides of it; or a washing away of the outer elope, as suggested by Mr. Leather ; but a landslip, caused by undiscovered fissures and springs in communication with the interior of the re servoir, which fissures and springs, if the existed and had such communication, would become active for mischief as the water rose in the reservoir. These are the methods which occur to my mind as agents which may have caused THE WAR IN DENMARK. ;From the limes Special Correspon4nt with the Danish Army.) SONDERBORG, March 18. There was some slack and lazy firing this morn ing from the Prussian batteries at Broagerland. The cannonade began shortly after 10 o'clock, and all was silent at about 2 p.m. All the efforts of the Prussian artillery were directed against the bastions of the Dybbol position ; but up to this time, so far as I learn, no serious impression has been made on the D.nish works. The shots fired may have been about 200, ball and shell. The Dybbol bastions answered with no great earnestness, as if grudging or disdaining a useless waste of gunpowder. I went out to the Dybbol Mill, wi"h a hope to see a general engagement, but the windmill is one of the most conspicuous objects in the landscape, and as it is well known that the command of the out posts and many of the troops destined for action are generally concentrated there, the spot is, of course, the aim of all the enemy's artillery. I next found a safer and far better view from the shore leading to the Sonderborg Ladegaard, a position from which I could look into the very bosom of the beautiful Vem mingbund, and the Prussian batteries posted on the cliffs overhanging its waters. We all fell into a mistake when we thought that the Germans had been making their preparations on the very west of the Broager peninsula. When their batteries were unmasked, they were found to be not on the sum mit of the hills, but on the brow of the somewhat abrupt and craggy coast, as near to the Danish bas tions across the bay as they could be contrived. The batteries which fired this morning were only three. However adroitly placed the batteries may be, and however great the power of the modern artillery with which they are armed, the Prussians must be aware that their fire can have, at the distance of about a mile and a half, no very permanent and irreparable Es ffeet on mere earthworks. This is pos sibly the reason why they attached so much import ance to the capture of Dybbol village and of the summit of Avnbj erg, two positions n hich were left in their hands as the result of the heavy fight of all yesterday, and of which the Danes have made no attempt to dispute the possession to-day. The line of bastions at Dy bbol was constructed by engineers who knew nothing of recent inven tions, and calculated distance according to the range of the old-fashioned ordnance. The peninsula of Broagerland was left out of their reckoning, as placed altogether out of reach and out of harm's way. Consider their surprise on seeing the balls and shells of the Prussian 24-pounders sweeping from that same peninsula not only all across the Vemmingbund, but also all over the line of bastions, so as to hit with unerring aim the parapets of bat tery Ne. 10, placed almost near the coast of the Alssund, three English miles from the spot where the piece was fired. Consider also that about 200 shots fired at bastion No. 5 all took effect upon their object (many of them penetrating the block house, though without fatal effects, as it had been abandoeed) with an accuracy which the old Danish artillery cannot even dream of emulating. So long as they fire only from Broagerland the re butt cannot be so very momentous ; but what will it be if within three or four days they erect their batteries on the Avnbjerg, and exchange shots with the bastions at Dybbol-hill, within the dis tance of about two-thirds of an English mile ? Moved by these considerations the Danes no sooner were aware of their great loss yesterday than they turned their efforts to recover their lost position on Avnbjerg; and, as a preliminary movement, they attacked Dybbol village, by securing which they might have enabled themselves to make an onset upon Avnbjerg in front and in flank. The attempt failed, however, in spite of the bravery of the troops engaged. The first regiment sent against Dybbol village went three times to the charge, and was thrice repulsed by the Prussians, who sustained yesterday a hand to hand conflict with a bravery to which the Danes are ready to do justice. But, although the attack on Dybbol village was unsuccessful yesterday, hardly any one of us went to bed in the night without the certain expectation that the experiment would be renewed in the morn ing. I was awake and up at 6, and already felt con fident that the cannon of Dybbol-hill would open fire on Dybbol village with earliest dawn. All was quiet till 10 o'clock, however, and then, as I have already said, it was the Prussians who began the cannonade. Nearly all the Danish troops were turned out at an early hour, nevertheless, and I and most men, astonished at the silence of the Danish batteries, thought the village was rather to be taken with the bayonet than with the cannon; but as the day ad vanced, and no movement occurred, the terrible truth began to be spoken aloud, that no fresh endea vours should be made to recover the lost position of Dybbol village and Avnbjerg. Should this really be the case, and should the Prussians remain in possession of the latter-named hill, so as to have leisure to construct their batteries, it is not easy to foresee what chance the old fashioned Danish smooth bores would have against the Prussian rifled pieces. The bravest men in the Danish army look grave as they discuss these matters. All they know is that they will hold the position to the last drop of their blood, but they hardly dare to tell how long their heroic resolution will be of any avail. 1, who did not hesitate from the beginning to press my opinion that the abandonment to the enemy of the Broagerland, at the time of the re. treat from the Dannewerk would prove fatal to the defenders of Dy bbol, shall not now conceal my con viction that the possession of the Avnbjerg is a great frump card the Prussians have turned up in their bloody game against their enemy. The affair of yesterday cost very dear to the Danes. The wounded brought in were 270, although many were by no means seriously hurt. It is, perhaps, not unreasonable to compute the whole number of men put hors de combat at 400. The wounded officers are stated at no more than six or seven. The Prussians can hardly have suffered less, seeing that it was they who asked fora few hourb' aroais, tice to-day, ot 2 o'clock, to take care of their dead and dying, wit h whom the ground was strewn. The Rolt lirtike has taken no share in the late engagements, at; d she has even withdrawn from her position at the month of the Vemmingbund 'to the opposite shore at th'e entrance of Horup Hay. The Monitor had orders not to expose herself to serious damage from the terribl e artillery of the enemy but to limit her activity ti ) preventing the Prussians from attempting to cross the Sound. Th a Danes, having only this one irons lied vessel, are of raid they may be deprived of her set vices at their sot est need, should they venture her too freely in and ertakinge which would be sure to be above her forns. I have already told you that her encounter at the Egern sund proved more damaging to her than the parti sans of ironsities against heavy guns would b 3 willing to suppose. _ The few shells thrown by the Prussians upon Sonderborg on Tuesday have done considerable damage to several houses, without, however, injur ing any living being, The demoralisation of the townspeople since that first danger is not to be cured by the subsequent tranqc illity the place has enjoyed. Nearly all who can has ten their departure ; houses and shops are literally • emptied of their contents, and cartloads of furniture encumber al the thoroughfares. Some of these vehicles are laden with wretched old articles, which would hardly be worth the powder and shell that would have to be employed to destroy them, certainly not worth the waggon-hire which must be paid in order to save them; but household goods are not valued by the standard of price they would fetch at an auc tion mart. Old granny's arm chairs and babies' cradles, I observed, constituted the main part of every waggon load. All the shipping at Sonder borg harbour quitted their moorings at the very beginning of the bombardment, and have not since come back. The steamers which carry the mails to Korsor and Assens start now from Horup Hay. People ask themselves what wanton whim could prompt the Prussians to shell an open town, which gave them no offence, while their real antagonists were all away from it, manning the trenches of the Dybbol position. The Prussians might urge in answer that all is fair in war ; but they seem to have regretted and repented their unprofitable bar' barism, as no shell has been directed hitherward since the first day. The Danes complain very bitterly of the exac tions and requisitions by which the German in vaders manage to rob the people of Jutland. Kolding alone has been compelled to pay a daily contributed of 20,000 rigsdalers. The Germans contend that these taxes are levied by way of cory pensatiln for the embargo laid upon their ships by the Danish Government. It is the fable of the wolf and lamb all over again. COUNTRY MARKETS. _____.. r --,------ BRISTOL—THURSDAY. There was a short supply of wheat to-day, and sales were slow at previous quotations. Foreign wheat met a retail sale, witnout change in value. Malting barley scarce, and quite as dear; grinding sons heavy, and the turn cheape r. Oats in limited sale. Beans and peas is lower. MANCHE STE R—THIIRSDA.Y. English wheat was sold at 40s to 463 for white, and 361 to 40s per 36 stone for red. Barley, new malting, 301 to 383 per qr ; grinding, 24s to 28s Oats, old, 22s to 30 1 per 30 stone ; Irish, 18s to 245. Beans, 34s to 40s per qt. Peas, 32s to 42s per 36 stone. BIRMINGHAM—THURSDAY. A limited attendance to-day at our market, and English wheat met with a slow demand, at about the currency of this day week. Foreign wheat also neglected, and un changed in price. Indian corn firm. Flour met with an exceedingly dull sale, in favour of buyers. Oats and oat meal were dull, at barely former rates. English beans uir changed in value, but Egyptian sorts very firm. MONMOUTH-WEDNESDAY. The local markets have been thinly attended during the week, and prices are firmer. Wheat in considerably better demand, and in many instances an adv ante of 3d per bushel has been obtained, The quotations are as follows Wneat, white.. 5s Od to 5s 9d Barley .3s3dto 3s ioa Ditto red .0s Od to Os Od I Oats .. 2s Od to 2s 8d EDINBURGH GRAIN—MARcH 23. Today there was a large supply of wheat, which met 0 slow sale, at about last week's prices. Barley met a bilslC sale, at is advance on former rates. Beans a ready 55 10 ' Oats sold slowly, and 6d lower. Wheat on the top 2s 6d up ..average 2s 3d up. Barley on the top 6s Od down average is lld up. Oats on the top Us 6d down average Os 2d up. Beans on the top is 6d down average Os 3d up. Avei age Prices. Wheat.. 3Bs 3d I Oats. Barley . .31s 7d i Beans. 32s oa _ Total Supply and Sales. Wheat........ 963 qrs Sold 595 qrs Barley... 855 qrs Sold 668 qrs Oats Beans 212 qrs Sold i4O qrs Flour sells as follows :—Whites, 39s Od ; extras, 37s °di superfine, 35s Od ; fine, 33s Od. Foreign Mail Packet List. MAILS DUE. laistralia and Mauritius, via Southampton April 1 9 . via Marseilles jrazil and Cape Verds, by British packet. cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Helena. M AA a pp r rr . lll3l , ; , Ihina, Penang, and Singapore, via Southampton. Ap ril via Marseilles Mar. 2il 5 Falkland Islands Gibraltar, via Southampton Mar. 2 „ 5 ' India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, vie Southampton Apri l ,, via Marseilles Mar. India (Bombay), via Southampton Mar. 2S --via Marseilles Mar. P' Portugal.... ...... :Malta, Egypt, and Aden, via Southampton Mar. 2 ' 00 via Marseilles Mar. - „, Sewfuundland )porto and Vigo • U. S. and British N. America, by Brit. packet.... Mar. 0 ' _... _ by U.S. packe* by Canadian packe; Mar.. A .- X. of Africa, Madeira, and Teneritfe April Bahamas, via New York April 7 Mar. 3)' Mexico , kll parts of West Indies, including Chili, Peru, I m ar , 3 0 ' California. and British Columbia. ADVERTISEMENT.} -Avoid medicines: they always Wl * vate chronic complaints, but Du Barry's Delicious 1101" Restoring Revalenta Arabica Food, which saves fifty tinie• its cost in other remedies, invariably cures them, restoril perfect digestion, strong nerves, sound lungs, healthy pure blood, refreshing sleep, functional regularity, and everb' s to the most disordered or enfeebled. We extract a feW o , ll e of 60,000 Cures :—Cure No. 58,216 of the Marchioness utz Brehan, Paris, of a Liver complaint, wasting away for se`tea years, debility, with a nervous palpitation all over, digestion, constant sleeplessness, the most intolerable nerOd agitation, and dreadfully low spirited.—Cure No. 1,771. 14 _, ° Stuart de Decies, Lord Lieut. of Waterford, of man," 9 01 P,/ dyspepsia--No. 49,832. "Fifty years' indescribable se: I from dyspepsia, nervousness, asthma, cough, constip atiow ; flatulency, spasms, sickness, and vomiting.—Maria J0111;4 —Cure No. 46,270. Mr. James Roberts, of Frimley, Surrey' , thirty years' diseased lungs, spitting of blood, liver derangetp ment, and partial deafness.—Cure No. 47,121. Miss Eliza l / 0 4 Jacobs, of extreme nervousness, indigestion , gathe rin g s, 4o , spirits, and nervous fancies. — Cure No. 54,816 . The Re% T. Campbell, Fakenham, Norfolk, "of indigestion and tol . o dity of the liver, which had resiste 1 all medical treat: 011 p Ii tins, 1 lb., 2s. 9d. ; 21b., 45. 6d ; Mb., ns. ; 121 b., 225.; yi 10E4—Barry Du Barry and Co., No. 77, Regent-street, L00 ° 1. 4 also Fortnum and Mason ; and all Grocers and Cberni sta every town of the United Kingdom. Births. DORMER—On the 23d inst., at the Manor House, Bat" Oxon, the wife of Clement Dormer, Esq., of a son. icig, JAMES —On the 24th inst., at 56, Portsdown-road, of. vale, W., the wife of Kenneth Haweis James, Fsockt daughter JACHSON—On the 21st inst., at Rathcrogne House, l oo r uarlow, Ireland, the wife of Lieut.-Colonel James son, of a son. tli MELLEnsu—On the 23d inst at Reigate-hill, Sorr e l' wile of Frederic Mellersh, Esq., of a son. Marriages. the cl a l t° BARTON—IVELBY—On the 14th January, at the en T . 2 ° Church of St. Paul's, St. Helens, by the Right P e v. Lord Bishop of the Diocese, assisted by the ileyiellt,l Helps, chaplain to the Forces, Robert Bartorithor Royal ' Engineers, to Wilhelmina, second dila' Thomas Earle Welby, Lord Bishop of St. Helena . a e , RICHARDSON—WALx.En—On the 24th inst., at St,•l‘.coird; Lambeth, by the Rev. G. J, Collinson, Edwin oly,olo, son, Eq., of 13, Grange-crescent, Sunderland, t ° sys 4 Phillips, second daughter of John Walker, Beclq more House, West Brixton. Deaths. 10.50 CONDER,—On the 20th inst., at North Bri%toth • Condor, Esq., aged 42. HOPE—On the 23d inst., at 171, St. George's - 1 3 ' 8-e' Mr. Andrew Hope, aged 32. HOWARD—On the 21st inst., at Bruce-grove. To-131 •re r - Luke Howard, F.8..5., of Ackworth Villa, Y° l.l° his 02d year. „ fil ' bert° LAMBERT.—On the 19th inst., suddenly, John 73, Esq., or Westwood Lodge, St. John's-wood, age,,,)toef SLOANE—On the 22d inst., at Thurloe•square, 131'°—` John Sloane, Esq., aged 5 9. h $I16 :1 WILLIAMS.—On the 22d inst., a t Shepherd's-b! s „; 1 oge denly, William Williams, Esq., of the War'°lP". 54. •_______"------""-st; , 0 London : Prlra,,d and Prbiished by WILLIAg A NI) . 7 . 0 0 . 1 of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at Tun SUN O boe n ip Strand, n the Precinct of the 3avoy, ;12 the 101 111.4tilenx.—FriOa7, Uncli 25, 1861.